Pocagawea Research Paper

Academic Essay
October 7, 2014
Eng/220
Romay Sitze

Academic Essay Final Draft
Throughout history the world has seen many great historical figures come and go. A historical figure is someone who has made a lasting impact on our world and will forever be remembered for their great achievements or acts of bravery. It takes a special person to overcome some of the obstacles these individuals were faced with. Two women of history I am going to discuss are Pocahontas and Sacagawea. Both of these women are two very important historical figures who have greatly impacted and affected our country’s history.
Pocahontas is a woman who lived an extraordinary life. Many people are familiar with her name and who they think she was because of
the very popular Disney movie. What most people don’t know, is that Disney movie portrayal of Pocahontas is actually very different from who she really was and her legacy. Pocahontas was born around 1596 and was originally given the name Amonute. She was later given the nickname Pocahontas. The name “Pocahontas” meant playful one and true to her playful personality as a young child this name suited her perfectly. Pocahontas was born to Chief Wahunsenaca, of the Indian tribe Powhatan. Growing up, Pocahontas was forced to become a woman at the very young age of 13. The duties expected of her were that of a much older woman. She learned to cook, clean, gather firewood, farm, and make items needed for the home, like clothing and many other things. For a child of 13 this was an enormous amount of responsibility, but Pocahontas had it well under control (Stebbins, 2010).
Pocahontas’ story actually began at age 11. In May of 1607, the English arrived and settled Jamestown New York. A year later, in 1607, Captain John Smith is introduced to Pocahontas. He would play an extensive role in her life. Captain Smith was captured by the Chief of the Powhatan’s tribe’s brother Opechancanough. After his capture, John Smith is brought before Chief Wahunsenaca. Once brought to the Chief, John Smith was ordered to be killed. It was at that time Pocahontas would emerge as a true hero. She interrupted her father’s orders, and placed her life on the line for Captain Smith. When Smith’s life was spared, he and the chief would negotiate a trade which allowed Smith to become part of the Powhatan tribe (Stebbins, 2010).
Soon after this heroic act, Pocahontas was faced with another very difficult event.
She was taken hostage by an English ship Captain by the name of Samuel Argall. The English wanted to trade Pocahontas back to her Powhatan tribe for Englishmen and supplies. When the Governor of Jamestown, Sir Thomas Dale, met Pocahontas, he instantly become very fond of her. He was impressed by how smart and well-mannered she was, so much that instead of treating her poorly or even having her killed, he chose to befriend her, care for and educate her, sort of taking her in. It was at that time Pocahontas was taught about Christianity and baptized as a Christian. She was then given the English name Rebecca. Shortly thereafter she would meet a man, John Rolfe, and later became his wife. (Stebbins,
2010) Sometime between the ages of 20 and 25 Pocahontas became ill and eventually died. Even though Pocahontas lived only a short life, she lived it the way any modern hero would have lived theirs. Pocahontas, a young woman, helped to establish peace between the colonists and the natives. Her heroism was evident on many occasions, even to the extent that at one point it meant risking her own life. At the young age of just 11 Pocahontas had offered her life for the better of the colonists, mandating peace between the two groups, leading the way for future coexistence between the colonists and the natives. (Stebbins, 2010)
Next, I present another important female historical figure.
This incredible woman went by the name of Sacagawea. Sacagawea was part of the Lemhi Shoshone Native Americans. During the 1800’s, at the age of 12, Sacagawea was kidnapped by a group of Hidatsa Indians. At this tender age, most young girls would be extremely scared of what may happen to them during this horrific time, as I can imagine Sacagawea was. Scared as she may have been, she remained brave and positive. Sacagawea was sold as a slave to a fur trader after being captured by the Hidatsa Indians. The Hidatsa were planning an expedition and were going to need horses and supplies in order to cross the mountains. They did not possess any of their own. It was then; the Hidatsa’s realized how valuable Sacagawea could be to them because of her Shoshone heritage. In the winter of 1804 Sacagawea met the explorers Lewis and Clark, two also very well-known men from our history. Lewis and Clark hired Sacagawea and her husband, Charbonneau, to translate and communicate for them when trading. (PBS Online,
2010)
During their expedition with Lewis and Clark, the boat Sacagawea was traveling in capsized. It was because of her calm, quick thinking she was able to save many of the now historic items that would have otherwise been lost at sea. These included detailed records and journals of Lewis and Clark and their travels. Because of her actions, Sacagawea earned the praise and compliments of other Captains. This event is why the Sacagawea River earned its name. Once they arrived, Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea met a tribe Shoshones, surprisingly enough the leader of which was no other than Sacagawea’s brother, who she had not seen for nearly 5 years. This chance meeting with her brother along with her and her husbands’ ability to translate and communicate, facilitated the opportunity to purchase the horses and supplies they needed to continue on their expedition (PBS Online, 2010)
Sacagawea, a woman, became an equal with Lewis, Clark and the rest of the men. She was respected, valued and appreciated. Sacagawea is a shining icon in American History and a symbol for women’s rights. She is also recognized by the National American Suffrage Association. Sacagawea later died of natural causes at age 25, coincidently at approximately the same age Pocahontas was. (PBS Online, 2010)
Although they were born in different times to different tribes Pocahontas and Sacagawea share a few similarities. Both of these women displayed courageous acts of heroism. Whether it is Pocahontas standing up for John Smith and risking her life for his or Sacagawea’s bravery while being kidnapped, they both showed outstanding acts of heroism. Both women were taken at young ages and expected to mature quickly and act as how a grown woman should act, disregarding their childhood. They worked hard at young ages and even harder as adults and both passed away at very young ages. Just as though there were similarities between the two, there were also some differences. Pocahontas was born to the Powhatan tribe and Sacagawea was born to the Lemhi Shoshone Native American tribe. Pocahontas was taken by Englishmen and Sacagawea was taken by Hidatsa men. Whereas Pocahontas was wanted to be used as a trade for Englishmen and supplies, Sacagawea was used as an interpreter and communicator to negotiate for supplies (Stebbins and PBS Online, 2010).
In conclusion, regardless of the differences between both Pocahontas and Sacagawea their acts of selflessness are what made them as special and important as historical figures. Historical figures can be either remembered for their acts of kindness and bravery or their acts of evil and persecution. In this case both of these women are known for the former. Neither of them had to help those who were looking to endanger them but they did so anyway, not for themselves but unselfishly and for the benefit of others. They each established peace between two groups of people through difficult and trying journeys. I believe they set a positive selfless rather than selfish model for the women of American society today.

References
PBS Online. (2010) Sacagawea Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/saca.html
Stebbins, S. J. (2010, August). Pocahontas: Her life and legend. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htm